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fOut in the Mountains

VERMONT'S NEWSPAPER FOR LESBIANS AND GAY MEN

Volume III, Number 4

 

May ‘1 988

UVM "Kill Queers" Raises Fear-Controversy

UVM Cynic
by Karen Giles
Two UVM gay students chose not to
attend a group discussion on human sexual-
ity scheduled on April 12 at Sigma Phi
Epsilon, a UVM fraternity because the
' phrase “KILL QUEERS” was spray-
, painted on the fender of a car in front of the
house. '.
In a letter sent to UVM President Lattie
F. Coor, Dean of Students Keith Miser, and
j several student leaders in the Greek com-
. munity, the two gay students (identified
only by their initials to protect themselves
from further harrassment) - S.C. and J .W. -
wrote “As part of a UVM Gay, Lesbian and
Bisexual Alliance ouueach project carried
 out in conjunction with the University of
Vermont College of Education and Social
~ Services through Professor James Barbour,
we were scheduled to appear at 7:00 p.m. as
guests at an ECHD 65 discussion group, to

3

 

be held at Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity, to
discuss the issue of homosexuality. At6:45
p.m., in the driveway of Sigma Phi Epsilon,
we saw a parked car on which was spray-
painted the phrase “KH.L QUEERS”, in
addition to the Greek letters of the chapter.”

After talking with Barbour and the fra-
temity man who was a member of the
discussion group, it was decided that S.C.
and J.W. would not attend the session.

“It (the fraternity house) didn’t seem
like a very friendly place to go,” said S.C.
“That’s why we didn’t go, not because they
were directly addressing our presence.”

S.C was told by the fraternity member
that the spray-painting had occurred during
a party at happy hour. “He (the fraternity
member) didn’t seem very upset by it,” said

‘ S.C. “He told me he was going to repaint

the car that evening.”
Andy Elias, president of the Sigma Phi
Epsilon fraternity and owner of the car, said

the incident was part of a spring ritual
known as the Car Wrecking weekend.

“There was no direct connection or
intent to threaten S.C or J.W.,” said Elias.
“We (the fraternity brothers) feel strongly
that people can do whatever they want.”

Elias was concerned that it would look
like Sigma Phi Epsilon was following in the
footsteps of the Lamba Iota fraternity. “I
don't want (the spray painting) to look con-
nected with the Lambda incident because it
would look pretty bad for us,” he said. “I
don’t need the controversy.”

Last week, the Lambda Iota was the
subject of controversy because “DRINK
BEERS, KILL QUEERS” was written on
the fratemity’s bus parked in front of the
house.

“The reason this needs to be addressed
is because of Lambda Iota,” said S.C. “It
seems to be a developing trend.”

(Continued on page 4 )

Innocents Abroad: Expert Vacation Advice

by Gus

Vacation travel should be an experi-
ence that enriches the soul, refreshes the
body and doesn’t do permanent damage to
one’s financial security. If you go to the
good places through the right people, this
may even happen.

Looking for Bargains? There is a
scheduled carrier that offers fares to exotic
places at ridiculously low prices: Shang-

‘ ha1—$868.00, Sydney-$1099.00, Auck-
3 land-$930.00, Tokyo-$576.00, Hong
 K0ng—$81o.oo, Lima-$574.00, Santiago-
, $776.00, Buenos Aires-$776.00, plus Eu-
T0136. They are one of the better carriers in
N0rth America. They also fly from Boston
at Slightly higher prices. This winter we
were selling tickets to Acapulco for $97.00

round trip from Montreal. You couldn’t
book until the Monday before the weekend

of travel but the uncertainty seemed not to

worry many people.
According to one book I read on Gay

and Lesbian travel (written by aEuropean),
the meccas for action and acceptance are
New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles,
Washington, Philadelphia, Chicago, and
Boston. Maybe so, but New York scares
me, the blondes of L.A. and those tiny-
waisted creatures of San Francisco intimi-
date me, so I would opt for less well-known
and more fun spots: New Orleans - great
food, central action, and great accents; Key
West - a great selection from a transient
population who are not the clones of New
York or California; Montreal - with thirty-

three establishments that boast of a Gay/
Lesbian affiliation, there is much to do in
this sister city. If you want a rare experi-
ence, try out the one gay bar in either North
or South Dakota (now they must be thirsty).
My idea of nothing is Provincetown or Fire
Island (do I date myself?) or any place
where there is a pennanent gaggle. I did
enjoy the feeling of being in the majority
when I attended the March on Washington,
but that was a special situation. I have also
noticed through the years that some exclu-
sively Gay establishments take advantage
of their clientele and are not so clean nor
attractive as they advertise or should be. I
want to go where I am wanted, where I am
safe, but I want to have quality.

(Continued on page 5 )